Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Xinjiang: Karez Wells
Karez Wells are a remarkable innovation developed by the people of arid regions to seek water sources and protect water flow.
Introduction to Karez Wells
Karez Wells are a remarkable innovation developed by the people of arid regions to seek water sources and protect water flow. In the Turpan region, surface temperatures can exceed 80 degrees Celsius, annual precipitation is less than 16 millimeters, and evaporation rates reach as high as 3,000 millimeters. To address water shortages and prevent water evaporation, our ancestors invented and developed Karez Wells.
The Turpan Karez Wells are one of the three great ancient engineering marvels of China, alongside the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. They are widespread across the Turpan Basin, with their crisscrossing networks resembling an underground Great Wall or a canal, continuously delivering meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains to the Turpan oasis. Karez Wells are the lifeblood of the Turpan region, a testament to the ingenuity of the Xinjiang people in adapting to their environment, and a living history of Xinjiang civilization.
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The Karez Wells still in existence in Turpan were mostly constructed during the Qing Dynasty and thereafter. Today, they continue to irrigate vast stretches of oasis farmland. The Wudaolin Karez Wells and Wuxing Township Karez Wells on the outskirts of Turpan City are open for visitors to explore. Today, let's take a closer look at them.
What is the Karez Well System?
As we enter the Karez Wells Folk Customs Park, we instantly transition from the scorching ground into the cool underground channels, an unforgettable experience. How did this system come to be? Let's explore it together.
The Karez Wells system consists of vertical shafts, underground channels, open channels, and irrigation dams, all of which are manually dug.
- Vertical shafts serve as passages for transporting underground silt or mud during the excavation or cleaning of Karez Wells underground channels, and also function as ventilation openings. The depth of the shafts varies depending on the terrain and groundwater levels, with the deepest shafts reaching over 90 meters. The distance between shafts varies depending on the length of the Karez Wells system, with shafts typically spaced 20–70 meters apart. A single Karez Wells system may have as few as over 10 shafts or as many as over 100 shafts.
- The function of the underground channels is to collect water from the underground aquifer, creating a slope from low to high, allowing water to flow automatically to the surface.
- The dragon's mouth is the junction where the open channels, underground channels, and vertical shafts meet. It is also the first outlet where snowmelt from the Tianshan Mountains seeps through the soil layers and flows from the underground channels into the open channels. The underground water emerges from the depths of the earth, flows out through the dragon's mouth, enters the open channels, and flows toward the irrigation dams, nourishing the arid land.
- The irrigation dams are primarily used for water storage and regulation.
Most astonishingly, Karez Wells rely entirely on gravity flow, requiring no mechanical equipment. Craftsmen, using simple tools and extensive experience, accurately assess terrain slopes to maintain the optimal gradient for underground channels, ensuring water flows neither too quickly to cause erosion nor too slowly to cause sedimentation.
Currently, the Turpan region has over 1,000 Karez Wells, with a total length of over 5,000 kilometers, and a water output of 300 million cubic meters, accounting for approximately 30% of the region's water supply.
After understanding the system principles of Karez Wells, aren't we amazed by the wisdom of ancient Chinese people? Let's now explore the heritage landscape of the Turpan Karez Wells Scenic Area together.
The Four Themes of Karez Wells:
Karez Wells Exhibition and Experience Zone
While preserving the natural underground channels, the scenic area has added walking paths, allowing visitors to observe well-preserved vertical shafts and underground channels up close. The paths are surrounded by flowing water from the underground channels, with water stations for visitors to experience drinking the water. Through films, reliefs, text, sculptures, artifacts, and audio-visual technology, the zone comprehensively showcases the construction principles and historical culture of Karez Wells.
Grape Culture Corridor
Turpan's unique natural conditions have nurtured its world-renowned grape culture. The scenic area features a Grape Culture Corridor showcasing a variety of grape varieties, along with a 25-acre grape picking garden where visitors can participate in grape picking experiences, deepening their understanding of the cultural connection between Karez Wells irrigation and grape cultivation.
Karez Wells Heritage Exhibition Hall
The exhibition hall displays a sand table model of Karez Wells vertical shafts, providing an overview of the entire engineering project. It also features the Deng Gong Hall, Lin Gong Hall, Zuo Gong Hall, and Military Reclamation Culture Hall, which systematically introduce historical figures such as Deng Xiaoping, Lin Zexu, and Zuo Zongtang, as well as the connection between military reclamation culture and Karez Wells, through text, artifacts, and multimedia, promoting the spirit of Karez Wells and emphasizing its educational and heritage significance.
General's Forest and Dance and Music Performance Leisure Area
Located beside the grapevine corridor, this area is shaded by green trees and surrounded by open channels. Visitors can enjoy ethnic dances and music, taste fresh fruits and vegetables, and immerse themselves in Xinjiang's unique ethnic culture and leisurely lifestyle.
Travel Experience Recommendations
- When visiting the Karez Wells scenic area, I strongly recommend that you:
- Experience the coolness of the underground canals and feel the stark contrast with the scorching surface heat
- Visit the Karez Wells Museum to gain a deeper understanding of the technical details and historical evolution of this engineering feat
- Taste grapes and other fruits grown using water directly from the Karez Wells
- Combine your visit with tours of historical sites such as the Jiaohe Ancient City and Gaochang Ancient City to fully understand the impact of water civilization on the development of Turpan
Conclusion:
The Karez Wells are not merely underground waterways lying dormant beneath the earth; they are the lifeblood of the Turpan region. They perfectly embody the Eastern wisdom of “adapting to local conditions,” turning the impossible into possible, and nurturing an oasis civilization on the scorching desert landscape. Come to Xinjiang, come to Turpan, and experience this living history that continues to flow. It will undoubtedly become the most unique and unforgettable chapter of your journey.
